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Many Tottenham Hotspur fans have been reacting on social media to reports by A Bola (via Sport Witness) that Spurs are the main contenders to make a January move for Sporting CP’s Bruno Fernandes.The Portuguese newspaper claimed over the weekend that Fernandes could be on the move come the turn of the year, providing that Leoes’ asking price is matched.Sporting are believed to want between €60m and €70million (£51.8m to £60.4m) for the midfielder, who A Bola describe as the most influential player in the Liga NOS.Every Premier League club’s WORST player is named and shamed in the video below…Fernandes has made 15 appearances across all competitions for head coach Jorge Manuel Rebelo Fernandes’ side this term, in which he has scored five in the Portuguese top-flight, two in the Europa League and once in the Allianz Cup.The 25-year-old playmaker missed his sole game of the Liga NOS campaign in September, when the Sporting captain served a one-game ban for two yellow cards shown against Boavista Porto FC after striking the equalising goal.As well as finding the back of the net a total of eight times, Fernandes has also been credited with six assists, including three recorded against Portimonense SC in a 3-1 win in August.Maia-born Fernandes is contracted to Sporting until the summer of 2023, but is thought to have reached an impasse in negotiations regarding a possible extension on improved terms.And with talks yet to yield a new deal, he could leave in January with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham interested.Here are some of the reactions offered by Spurs fans to A Bola’s report claiming their club are the leading candidate for Fernandes’ signature should he move in January…

Lots of Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to react after A Bola reported that the north Londoners are continuing to keep an eye on Sporting midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes was a transfer target for Spurs back in the summer, and the Portuguese giants rejected a huge £58m offer from Tottenham for the 25-year-old’s services due to the “difficult” structure of the deal.

The 16-cap Portugal international has already scored seven goals and recorded five assists in all competitions for Sporting this season, having previously amassed a stunning haul of 32 goals and 18 assists in the 2018/19 campaign.

A Bola now reports that the midfielder is still on Spurs’ radar, news that has sparked a lot of response from the Tottenham fans on Twitter.

One fan said that the goal scoring midfielder could have made a difference at the start of this season, while another said that he should be signed to replace Christian Eriksen – his contract expires in the summer – instead of Paulo Dybala, another reported summer target.

Let’s take a look at some of the Twitter reaction…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

West Brom had to come from behind to keep their two-point advantage at the top of the Championship table on Tuesday evening.

The division’s basement boys Barnsley very nearly caused an upset as they went into half-time two goals to the good, thanks to a quickfire six-minute brace from Cauley Woodrow.

Albion found a way back into the match when Matheus Pereira’s inswinging corner went in off Tykes defender Bambo Diaby before the enigmatic Brazilian headed home an equaliser nine minutes from time.

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Snapshot

It was Slaven Bilic’s half-time decision that inspired the comeback as he made the bold call to haul off one of this season’s stars in Nathan Ferguson for a more natural left-back in Conor Townsend while fellow academy graduate Kyle Edwards was also replaced with Filip Krovinovic coming on too.

The 19-year-old was recently linked with moves to Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and Tottenham, which is a reward for how impressive he has been to date, but during this match, he struggled to cope with Barnsley’s right wing-back.

Ferguson had been filling in just fine at left-back in Kieran Gibbs’ absence, so this shocker comes as a surprise.

Thankfully, Townsend stepped up to the mark and became a protagonist in changing the Baggies’ fortunes as he assisted Pereira’s late equaliser.

Off the Bench

The 26-year-old had played just 19 minutes of Championship action before his introduction, and that came on the opening day against Nottingham Forest.

Since then, Townsend has only been named in the matchday squad six times, but that may well shift in the near future after his game-changing impact on Tuesday night.

Per SofaScore, the former Scunthorpe United defender recorded two successful dribbles, two key passes, and won three of his five aerial duels.

He was able to deal with the threat of Dimitri Cavare more efficiently than the young Ferguson, who lost possession six times and was dribbled past on one occasion.

Given that Gibbs wasn’t in the matchday squad for this fixture, Townsend may have just played himself into the starting line up when the west Midlands side host Charlton Athletic at the Hawthorns this weekend.

The rarely-seen left-back can now kick on from his equalising assist with Ferguson moving back across to his more natural right side.

Rangers are preparing to offer Steven Davis a new contract to remain at Ibrox beyond the end of the current season, according to a report by Football Insider.

It is claimed Steven Gerrard has been ‘blown away’ by how good the Northern Ireland international has been for the Gers recently and is said to have been impressed with his match fitness.

The 34-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Light Blues in the summer when Southampton allowed him to turn his initial short-term loan deal into a permanent stay (club’s official website).

Davis has been nothing short of incredible for Rangers this season and appears to have put any struggles he had in settling in at his former club to bed – something he admitted he found difficult to do at the beginning.

However, since completing a permanent switch, the veteran midfielder has gone from strength-to-strength and has become an integral member of Gerrard’s side for the current campaign.

The 34-year-old is one of the first names on the teamsheet – as he and Ryan Jack appear to make the centre of midfield their positions to lose – having made 14 appearances for the Light Blues already (Transfermarkt).

Valued at £1.8m by Transfermarkt, Gerrard is not the only man said to have been ‘blown away’ by the Northern Ireland international’s performances in recent weeks, as Gary McAllister revealed he felt Davis was at the ‘top of his game’ (Glasgow Evening Times).

Indeed, the experienced midfielder put in a brilliant performance against Feyenoord in the Europa League a fortnight ago, as he managed to achieve an impressive two tackles, two interceptions and one clearance, whilst he completed 80% of his 40 passes with the 51 touches of the ball he had (WhoScored) – figures the Gers would love to see him replicate against BSC Young Boys and Porto in future encounters.

Davis has been outstanding for Rangers this season and has clearly become an integral member of Gerrard’s first-team, therefore, making it no real surprise that the club are preparing to offer him a new contract.

A hugely experienced midfielder who has already won a number of titles during his previous spell at Ibrox, the 34-year-old could, perhaps, pass that knowledge down to the current crop of players in Glasgow and help them to finally bring back some silverware to the blue side of the city.

Rangers fans, what do you make of the club preparing to offer Davis a new deal? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them below!

Wolves’ trip to Manchester City is likely the last thing they would have wanted after the trip to Istanbul on Thursday, but they should be feeling confident after securing back-to-back wins.

Willy Boly was the hero against Besiktas but the goal came due a moment of quality from Ruben Neves, and Nuno Espirito Santo will need him to be on top form if his side are to get something from the match.

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With the Citizens in goal scoring form Wolves are likely to spend long periods without the ball, and though their structured 5-2-3 formation should come in handy, it is vital they have an outlet with which to counter.

Considering that, here is how Wanderers could line up at the Etihad.

The inclusion of Adama Traore is vital if they are to get anything from the match.

The Spaniard, who cost £18m, should prove useful as a source of relief to Wolves when they’re on the backfoot, as his ability to run with the ball and carry it upfield will help to prevent his side from sitting too deep and stop City coming onto them.

Compared to his teammates he has fresher legs after only playing 45 minutes on Thursday, and if he can match his average of 2.8 successful dribbles per game this term then Wolves may have some joy going forward.

He has also improved in the final third, too, with an average of one key pass per game and 1.3 successful crosses, but whether he and Wolves can be clinical enough is yet to be seen.

Kevin De Bruyne has been a key threat for City with two goals and nine assists but his absence could lead Nuno to be more ambitious, and that could result in Neto getting the nod ahead of Leander Dendoncker, who may otherwise have had the role of keeping a close watch on his compatriot.

Neto has started just one league game and he is yet to show his best quality, with 0.4 successful dribbles and 0.4 key passes, but his assist last weekend against Watford shows he is adapting.

The trip to Manchester could be a great learning experience for him, particularly as it is a game where there is little pressure on Wolves to get a result.

Liverpool have definitely not been at their best in recent times but they’re still in with a chance of securing the Premier League title, with a win on Sunday taking them three points clear at the top.

The Reds will need to focus on getting the best out of their front three from here on in until the end of the season, as they went missing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League earlier on in the week.

Interestingly, it appears as if Jurgen Klopp may already has his eye on an attacker, as according to the Daily Mirror (via ESPN), Liverpool could be set to renew their interest in Jadon Sancho.

Sancho has developed into one of the hottest prospects in world football since moving to Borussia Dortmund, so it comes as no surprise that the Reds could renew their interest. He currently has eight goals and 13 assists to his name in all competitions and has plenty of years still left to develop with his 19th birthday coming up next week.

Liverpool already have the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Xherdan Shaqiri operating out wide at this moment in time, but it’s safe to say that there’s certainly room for more talent. Indeed, the Englishman is a very special talent who already has the ability to give the Salah a run for his money on the right-hand side, with the skills, pace, dribbling, creativity and finishing ability to slot right into Klopp’s fast-paced attacking style.

However, it’s safe to say that the youngster won’t come cheap as the German club sold Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona for a fee of £100 million rising to £135 million back in 2017, and they have made it clear that when they eventually look to sell Sancho on, they will value him in a similar bracket.

What do you think Liverpool fans?

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino will kill two birds with one stone if he hands Eric Dier his first start – and minutes – of the season against Leicester City on Saturday.

On the chalkboard

Spurs showed their defensive vulnerabilities again during the week as Olympiacos fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in Athens, and it has been a familiar theme for the north London outfit this season.

They did exactly the same against arch-rivals Arsenal earlier this month, while they also fell behind against Aston Villa and Newcastle United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – they rescued a win in the former but suffered a shock defeat in the latter.

It is clear that the defence needs more midfield protection and that something needs to be done about it, and Dier could be the man to fix the issue.

Defensive shield

The England international appears to often divide opinion among the Spurs faithful, but there is no doubt that he would provide that backline with the protection it sorely misses when the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko play in central midfield.

He would also bring that positional discipline that can be missing from those players who aren’t out-and-out defensively-minded.

Yes, the 25-year-old needs to improve when in possession of the ball even if his average passing success was 84.9% in the Premier League in 2018/19 according to WhoScored, but he can also be important when it comes to making those all-important tackles and interceptions, 1.3 and 1.1 respectively per game on average last term.

More flexibility to change system in-game

As well as acting like a shield in front of the back four, the great thing about Dier is that because of his versatility, he can also drop back in-between Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen to form a three-man partnership at centre-back, with his presence allowing Danny Rose and Serge Aurier even more freedom to get forward as wing-backs.

The latter in particular was hugely effective against Crystal Palace last time out with one assist and another cross that Patrick van Aanholt put into his own net, but he may not have the same attacking freedom away from home against a side like Leicester if Winks and Sissoko were in central midfield.

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It would be a different story with the deep-lying Dier though, with the counter-attack a potentially useful option for Spurs at the King Power on Saturday.

Grant McCann is one of the candidates to become Sunderland’s next manager, according to Sky Sports News. 

The lowdown

Sunderland are looking to appoint a replacement for Lee Johnson, who was sacked following a 6-0 rout at the hands of Bolton Wanderers in late January.

Mike Dodds took caretaker charge of The Black Cats for Saturday’s shock defeat against bottom-of-the-table Doncaster Rovers.

McCann had recorded back-to-back wins, pulling Hull City ten points clear of the Championship’s bottom three, before he was sacked by the new regime at the MKM Stadium last month (via BBC Sport).

The latest

Roy Keane, who managed the club between 2006 and 2008, appears to be the frontrunner at present, having been interviewed for the vacancy.

But should Keane decided against returning to the dugout, Sky Sports report Sunderland do have other options in mind.

They include McCann, former Celtic boss Neil McCann and 73-year-old veteran Neil Warnock.

The verdict

Would McCann be a good appointment? Well, the standout achievement on his CV is leading Hull back to the second tier as League One champions following their relegation in 2019/20.

He’s a manager with ‘staggering’ ambition, in the words of Liam Hoden, Deputy Head of Sport at the Doncaster Free Press, which is sure to be music to the ears of Sunderland fans desperate to see their club back where they belong.

And in more good news for supporters, his style of play is appealing too. Barry Fry, who oversaw McCann at Peterborough, has called him ‘brilliant’ and gushed over his ‘attractive’ brand of football.

In other manager news, this treble-winner has expressed his interest.  

Rangers have been handed a major setback as a worrying update emerges on Ianis Hagi’s injury status.

What’s the story?

Romania boss, Edi Iordanescu, said: “I spoke to him twice and he may be unavailable for five to six months. It’s very unfortunate for him. I don’t want to put pressure on him to rush back, but of course, we need our best players for Romania.

“I’ve even spoken to his father about his injury too. I want to support Ianis as much as I can. I have assured him I will be there for him when he is ready and we trust him to come back stronger. I told him to take all the time he needs. Even if he doesn’t play immediately, he will be back in my squad.

“He’s resigned to being out for some time, but he’s very confident he will be back stronger. He’s been good because it hasn’t been easy for him with this setback.”

Big blow for Rangers

The Romanian play-maker suffered the injury in the Gers’ 4-0 victory over Stirling Albion earlier this season, and having undergone surgery about a week later, it was confirmed that he would miss the remainder of the campaign.

Hagi’s absence has been a costly one for the Ibrox side, with the side suffering a couple of disappointing results in the Scottish Premiership, not least a 3-3 draw against Ross County and the 3-0 drubbing against old rivals Celtic.

Last season saw the Romanian really showcase what he can do when he’s on song, netting eight goals and providing 15 assists in 45 games across all competitions, with Steven Gerrard waxing lyrical about him.

Speaking last year, the former Gers boss said: “We’re really happy with Ianis Hagi, he’s a joy to work with. He’s a student of the game. He’s always looking at areas to improve, whether that be from a physical point of view or tactically or technically.

“He’s someone you have to drag off the training ground. Ianis is always in the analyst department too. He’s never out of the gym, so he’s an absolute dream to work with, very low maintenance. We’re delighted with how he is developing and progressing and we’re happy to have him.”

The update that Hagi is now in line to miss the start of next season is a massive blow for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the club’s fans, who will no doubt be concerned about just how many games he will miss and whether he can eventually return to his old form.

Meanwhile, Rangers sealed a dream transfer deal with this star…

A key Rangers transfer claim has been made regarding the future of Alfredo Morelos…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the club will attempt to avoid cashing in on the prolific centre-forward due to the importance he holds in the race to win the title this season.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think they’ll be looking to keep Morelos to try and help them retain the Scottish Premier League title, which comes with Champions League football next season, which is going to be huge for whoever does win the Scottish Premiership.”

This comes after CBS reported earlier this month that Leicester, Everton and Newcastle are all interested in signing Morelos for a fee in the region of £20m.

Van Bronckhorst will love it

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will surely love this news, as he will want to retain the striker’s services heading into the second half of the campaign. Morelos is the Dutchman’s go-to option at the top end of the pitch and he has paid back the faith shown in him by producing excellent performances.

The 25-year-old is a proven goalscorer at this level and it is hard to put a price on that attribute, as there is no guarantee that anyone coming in to replace him will do the same. Even if Rangers replace him with another player who has scored goals on a regular basis in the Premiership, they have not done it in Van Bronckhorst’s system or with the pressure at Ibrox to win games and achieve success.

The Colombian has proven time and again that he can handle the goalscoring burden for the Glasgow giants. He has scored an incredible 107 goals in 211 matches for the club throughout his career, proving his talent over a prolonged period of time.

Since the former Feyenoord boss came in to replace Steven Gerrard, Morelos has scored six goals and provided two assists in eight appearances in all competitions. This shows that he is thriving under the 46-year-old, and that is why the head coach will be delighted if the Colombian stays at Ibrox, as he will be pivotal to their chances of winning silverware at the end of the campaign domestically and in Europe.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will love this claim from O’Rourke and can perhaps look forward to working with Morelos even further for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Hagi: Rangers could find new creative maestro in £1.2m-rated gem with 31 G/A…